message for today

[Bill Maurer]

  Dear soc sci grad students, faculty, lecturers and staff,

  This morning, the Associate Deans, the Faculty Chair (Evan Schofer,
  representing the Senate) and I sent an email to all Spring instructors
  encouraging even more flexibility with finals, including options like
  "no harm" and optional finals. In case it was not clear, this applies
  to graduate classes, too. Thank you all once again for your support of
  our students.

  I'll do a more complete media roundup tomorrow--our people have been
  especially active contributors to the news this week--but wanted to
  direct your attention to Prof. Sabrina Strings (Sociology) in Scientific
  American and Prof. Davin Phoenix (Poli Sci) on KPCC. Thanks to you both
  for getting your research insights into the public sphere!

  I want to thank the Social Sciences Academic Resource Center for holding
  a rap session tomorrow for our undergrads to share how they're feeling
  and to lend their voices to advocacy. I'll be there! And I also want
  to thank our academic advising staff and Helen Morgan for all of the
  academic counseling support they've been providing to our undergrads.

  Returning to campus, in a slow, deliberate, staged manner: Assistant
  Dean Ávila emailed all the supervisors today to begin to gather data
  to plan a smooth transition. But I want to reiterate: Social Sciences
  will be returning to campus

  s  l  o  w  l  y

  no matter what else you read or hear!  Senate faculty may wish to attend
  the town hall that the Senate just invited them to. But bear in mind,
  even there, no matter what you hear from the assembled campus leaders,
  Social Sciences is taking it slowly.

  We are also getting signage, and, it's good thing you all did not take
  my bet the other week: There are anteaters galore! We're also going to
  be encouraging a culture in which if you feel sick, even just a little,
  you stay home.

  All for now, and please take care,

  Bill

  Peter, in lieu of Rufus....

  OH OK! FINE. Rufus, too! Sheez. (He is not maintaining social distancing;
  he is waiting for a treat)